


a wolf’s christmas

by Magali_Dragon



Series: ghost and his humans [3]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Ghost at Christmastime, Ghost is the best boi, Soft Dany, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, ghost POV, soft jon, soft jonerys, the trials of Ghost with his humans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:26:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21919045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magali_Dragon/pseuds/Magali_Dragon
Summary: Ghost goes through five Christmases with his humans.
Relationships: Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen
Series: ghost and his humans [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1503065
Comments: 28
Kudos: 298





	a wolf’s christmas

**Author's Note:**

> The return of Ghost POV! Happy Christmas, here’s some fluff.

****

**I.**

The humans were bringing a tree into the house, which puzzled him very much.

You see, trees were supposed to be outside. They provided shade in the hot summer months and in the winter up North they were covered in snow and ice, they looked like cookies that the humans made around that time of year. He enjoyed a nice tree, sitting beneath it, running around it, chasing squirrels up them, and occasionally they made good spots to let people know he was there and it was _his_ tree.

He did not believe you should bring them into homes.

This was the first time he had seen a real tree inside a house. Sometimes at Winterfell they would go up for the wintertime and the holiday the humans called _Christmas_ and he would not be allowed to sniff at the fake pine that stood in the giant window in the great room or some of the littler ones scattered throughout the castle. They all had sparkling things that did _not_ taste good when you tried to eat them and sharp little hooks attached to various objects that looked kind of like some of the stupid toys Sansa insisted on purchasing for him. _Like I am a not the great wolf I am, like I am some sort of terrier._

He had gone with the humans in the back of Human Jon's car they called a Jeep and they had driven quite far from the capitol. Everything was going quite well with Human Jon and Human Dany. Aside from that unfortunate incident a couple of months ago where she put a furry thing on him and dressed him up and paraded him around. He was positive that things were going to be even better for these two-- they were positively gross sometimes with how much they smiled and kissed and held hands.

They went into the forest and he got to lope around, until they brought him back, Human Jon dragging a giant real tree, Human Dany ordering him to put it on the roof of the Jeep and wasn't it just _beautiful_ and it would look _gorgeous_ in the front window of his apartment for all to see.

He thought it odd, but Ghost thought Human Dany was an odd sort of person from time to time. He put up with it because she loved his Jon very much and that was all he wanted. And his Jon loved her very much too, otherwise he suspected he would not be trying to get a giant pine tree onto the top of his car while she pranced around taking pictures.

They brought it into the house, told him to not try to eat it-- _why on earth would I eat it?_ \-- positioned it in the window and left him with the thing while they went back out again. He was sitting before the great item, trying to figure out why it was in his house. In front of the window he liked to look at.

And they even put it in a water bowl. Well, that was silly. He leaned under it and drank some of the water, shuddering at the strange taste, smacking his tongue to his lips and trying to push around the scratchy fronds to get tot the window. They moved the chair, he noted in huffed frustration.

_How can I see if that fine looking husky from across the way is still into me?_

He pushed by the tree, knocking needles all over the floor. They scratched at his paws, some lodging within the pads. He kicked his feet out, growling silently, trying to nose around, but it was immobile. _This is not right. This should not be in my house._ Human Jon did dumb things sometimes. He ran into gunfire, he jumped out of moving cars, and generally did things that Ghost _tried_ to stop him from doing, but sometimes he thought his Jon was pretty stupid.

Bringing a tree into the house, filling it with water like it was an animal that needed to drink, and blocking his view of the street was up there for stupid things.

To make matters worse, they had said they were going to go and get _lights_ and _tinsel._ He wasn't sure why you would put those things on a real tree, but it was beyond him. He preferred the fake ones that were in Winterfell. They did not bother him as much as this one did. He sneezed.

It also stank.

There was stuff coming off the trunk. He licked it, shuddering at the sweetness. _Yuck._

He studied the tree again.

Only one thing to do.

He was not sure why when Human Jon and Dany returned with bags laden down with lights and the strange things with hooks and tinsel and stuff, they got mad. Well, Dany started laughing and Jon turned all pink and started shouting for him to move and _What did you do Ghost!?_

He huffed, jumping onto the couch, shaking pine needles everywhere, turning to look at the pine tree that now sat on its side, branches torn and askew, needles everywhere. He scratched his ear with the his back foot, ignoring the frustration of Jon while Dany just laughed and said how maybe they should get a fake one or at least put it at her house.

Humans, he sighed, curling up onto the couch, licking the sticky stuff from his paw while Jon moped and started cleaning up, shouting that he should be the one doing it. He just hoped they would hurry up and put his chair back in front of the window so he could see out again.

~/~/~/~

**II.**

Dany was going to be the death of him.

Two years in a row she had made him dress up for silly _Halloween_ and they were doing it again. He was mortified. They stuck things on his head again. She kept saying how _cute_ he was.

"Perhaps we should put the red nose on him, to go with his red eyes," she said, holding a red ball with a strap around it.

He lifted his face to Jon, who thankfully sensed his terror and the subtle threat that if he allowed that to happen he would never get off the bed when he and Dany were going to start their puppymaking. He'd done it before when they got all weird like this. Like after that one Halloween. He hadn't left the room. No matter how hard they wanted to kick him out. He just followed them around until they gave up.

_This is just mortifying on so many levels._

They were outside, at the park where they met, where he knocked them into the pond, which looked very nice, he kept eyeing it, just in case they got more fancy ideas. They were in front of the big tree, trying to take pictures, with Human Jon's friend Gilly trying to do so, but he was _not_ pleased with the thing on his head.

They could put him in _costumes_ for the day when they all dressed up but this was ridiculous.

It started a few weeks ago when Human Dany said that they should do a _Christmas card_ to celebrate that they had moved in together. They would take pictures outside and it would be _so cute_ and when Jon had the very good question to ask about the _cats_ she just said they could _Photoshop_ them in. He was not sure what that meant, but if they could do it with those vicious beasts he didn't understand why they couldn't do it with him.

"Ghost just sit still, it's only for a moment." Jon leaned in, whispering to him. "if you do this I will buy you the biggest, most expensive steak the butcher has. I swear."

 _Hmm._ He glanced at him, verifying this was not a trick. It did not seem to be. He supposed he could do this, after all, Jon was wearing a silly sweater with a ghastly image of some creature they called _Santa Claus_ and even had on a red had with white around the end and a big white ball on the tip of it.

_Gods he is weak._

Anything Dany wanted, he would do, it was getting rather pathetic, if he did say so himself. He thumped his tail in the light dusting of snow. It was all they'd get here in the capital. He wrinkled his nose, eyes darting to Dany, who was waving her hands, chatting with Gilly, her silver hair wound with red and green ribbons and bells on the end, wearing a matching ugly sweater. She was beaming, she looked so happy.

Jon raised his brows. "Please Ghost, just do it for her." He simpered over to his human. "She's so happy."

 _You are a weak man Jon Snow, but fine._ He didn't move when the strange device went back on his head, his eyes rolling up to inspect the brown things. They kept saying he was a _reindeer._ He looked like a stag and he hated stags. They tasted good when he got a chance to eat them up at Winterfell but otherwise he hated them.

Although they called Gendry a stag and he was a nice one, he supposed. But Gendry wasn't here wearing a stupid thing on his head to look like one in real life.

"Okay Ghost! Look here at the camera!" Gilly called.

"You're such a good boy," Dany cooed, kissing the side of his face, her arms around his neck, while Jon knelt beside him. He stole a glance up as Gilly laughed, saying that was the perfect shot, just to see the two humans lean over the top of his head and kiss. The bells at the end of pretty silver Dany's hair tinkled and she hugged him again, whispering. "You are the best boy, this is going to be a beautiful Christmas card. Everyone will see that we're a family."

_Family._

He liked that word. It was all he wanted for his human. He glanced over at Jon, seeing the smile on his human's face, the crinkle in his eyes and how all his teeth showed. He thumped his tail, warmth spreading through him.  
 _Well that was worth it_ , he supposed.

He always did like it when his human smiled.

Although he still didn't understand why the _cats_ weren't there.

~/~/~/~

**III.**

"What if she doesn't want me there?"

Ghost did not understand Dany's concerns about spending the holidays at Winterfell. He chewed on the giant rawhide bone he had found in the backseat, suspecting it might have been one of the _gifts_ for him, but they had not noticed as he tore quietly into it, thoroughly delighted it was a buffalo one, those were his favorites.

The Jeep turned off the highway and he knew they were in the North now because the trees were darker and the snow thicker. He peeked over to look out the window, wagging his tail as they grew closer. They had been driving for _forever._ Two days. He never understood why they could not just stay up here forever but he supposed that was because his job and Human Jon's job was in the South.

He leaned his head over and propped it on Dany's shoulder. She absently patted his head. "You've been to Winterfell before," Jon said.

"Well yes but this is different." She squeezed his hand, the pretty diamond ring on her finger sparkling. She leaned in, kissing his cheek. "This is our first Christmas there as an _engaged_ couple. We will be doing this forever. I just want it perfect."

"It is perfect because you will be there. Ignore Sansa if she gets bitchy and well, Bran is always weird."

 _That was very true. Bran is very weird._ He never knew what to make of Jon's brother in the rolling chair. He was quite odd, always saying random things and buried in old books about Northern gods and stuff.

"I just don't think your sister likes me." He bared his teeth; he would take care of Sansa if she said _anything_ to hurt his Dany. He licked her cheek, reassuring her. She smiled, patting his head again. "Good boy."

He noticed that Jon said nothing, but cleared his throat. "Sansa is just...Sansa." He brightened. "Arya likes you and she will be there with Gendry this year. Sam and Gilly are coming up too and my friend Edd will drop by. Tormund is going to be around and he claims that he finally managed to get Brienne Tarth to go out with him, although I'll believe it when I see it. Anyways, it's going to be great. Winterfell at Christmas is the best time of year to visit, you're going to love it."

He knew that Dany was still nervous, so he licked her cheek again before he returned to his bone. He knew he was not supposed to have it when they stopped the car and Jon opened to door, shouting how he was such a right _arse_ for getting into the presents early. He swished his tail, knocking against him hard, and jumped out to spring through the snow, burying his nose in and sniffing it up into the air.

_I love Christmas!_

He ran around for a bit while they all said hello and did that human thing of sniffing butts, except they kissed each other and hugged and stuff. He smelled wolves in the distance and perked his ears up, wondering if they were some of his kind. He wagged his tail again in happiness, pleased to be back, and ran up into the house when Jon called him, shaking snow everywhere.

A few days passed and he noted on the big day that yes, it was a good Christmas, he noted, but yes, Sansa was being a bitch to pretty human Dany, asking about the _wedding_ planning and everything. "Ghost is going to be the best man, well, best wolf," she said with a smile down at him.

"Don't you think that's a bit tacky?" He nipped at Sansa's fingers, which dangled over the edge of the counter. She yelped. "Ghost! Seven hells!"

"Oh shut it," Arya said, offering him an unfrosted cookie. He sniffed and took it, although he did prefer the ones with frosting. "I think it's adorable."

"Thank you," Dany said, smiling softly. She excused herself and took her coat. He went out with her, following her through the snowy paths and through the big wrought iron gates to the godswood. He liked it here, it was very peaceful and he was pleased when she sat down on a bench that was beside the hearttree, in front of the big black hot spring, steam rising up over it. She sniffed, her fingers ruffling his fur. "You're a good boy Ghost, I'm glad you're here. I know she doesn't like me and I don't know why, but you do make it better."

He rested his head on her knee, peering up. _I'll always be with you Human Dany._

"Hey, what're you doing out here?"

"Oh, just needed some air."

Jon came over and sat beside her and he rested against both of their legs as they sat in front of the smiling red and white tree, their hands clasped. He closed his eyes, reveling in the cool air and the smell of snow and trees. They spoke about things he did not understand, but it did not matter. It was Christmas and they were together and they were _happy._ Even if Human Dany cried a little, saying she missed her brother and mother and she was so glad to have a true family Christmas, even if Sansa was being mean.

They hugged together on the bench, heads nestled, and Human Jon's hand squeezing hers with the pretty diamond on it. He rubbed against them again, reminding them of his presence. She laughed. "Ghost blends in with the snow here. He even looks like the weirwood tree with his red eyes."

"Maybe I should have named him Weirwood."

He did not know if that was real or a joke, but he did not care, turning his head and licking their hands, wagging his tail in happiness.

~/~/~/~

**IV.**

"Jon please, let me help you!"

"No, you are on bed rest, you just sit there and don't do a thing."

He watched as Jon rummaged around the big room at Winterfell, packing blankets around Human Dany's large stomach with the pup inside of it, nevermind she was already quite warm and wearing a big sweatshirt over her stomach and fuzzy socks on her feet. He could not read them, but he suspected they were amusing because whenever someone saw them they laughed. Arya read them out loud, thinking they were _hilarious_ because one said 'IF YOU CAN READ THIS' and the other said 'WINTER IS COMING.'

He heard them say that a lot, the Starks. _Winter is coming._ He wondered if they would name the pup Winter because they always said that about the pup. _The baby is coming, the baby is coming. Only a few more months until the baby comes. We have to get ready for when the baby comes._

 _The baby sure is taking their sweet time_ , he groused, trying to lay beside her on the couch, only for Jon to push him off, complaining how she needed her _rest._ He narrowed his eyes, wondering how Human Dany could rest with everyone buzzing around her like annoying insects. He scratched his ear, settling on the floor beside her. He would not move, she needed him.

They all went about their time while she lay on the couch, until they helped her to the bedroom. There was a little tree in the window and a big fire going and he really liked that it was just them, him and Dany, laying in the great bed together, a quilt tossed over her and bunched under him as he rested his head atop her belly. He closed his eyes, satisfied, thinking this was the one thing he knew he was supposed to do.

"It's Christmas Ghost," she whispered, her fingers scratching his ears. He opened his eyes, surprised, seeing Human Dany's big purple eyes filling with water, the things the humans called _tears._ He did not understand, they did that when they were sad. Why was she sad? She sniffed and put her hand on her very large belly. "I had all these plans. We were going to bake cookies and pick a tree and go sledding and have cocoa and go into town to see the recitals. Bran was going to have this big ceremony for the Old Gods in the grove and I can't go...they all went without me, which is fine, but I'm scared."

 _Scared?_ He swung his head to the door, expecting a threat, but there was none. He inched closer to her, head going over the belly and she laughed, but it also sounded like she was crying. "You're such a good boy being here with me. I'm scared, I don't want anything to happen to the baby. I can't even get out of this bed for fear something might happen. It's why I want things to be so good and perfect."

And that was why he was there, he knew, closing his eyes and cuddling her, feeling the pup inside of her kick up at him. He jumped slightly and she laughed, her hand going to scratch his neck. "Silly Ghost, I think they like you."

_I hope so._

The door cracked open and he looked to see Human Jon coming inside, holding a tray. "What did you bring me?" she laughed, wiping at her eyes.

"You okay?" he immediately asked. He set the tray on the end of the bed, handing her a big cup with steam coming off and white things floating in them. His eyes widened. _Marshmallows._ He _looooved_ marshmallows. Ever since Gilly's little pup gave him some a couple weeks ago. They were his new favorite. He nosed the mug, trying to get one, but they laughed and pushed his nose away.

She sipped her cup and nodded, swallowing. "Yeah. You have cookies?"

"Ghost, not for you." He was only trying to get her a cookie, he huffed, moving on the bed. He kept his head pressed to the pup, listening for any changes. He could hear the pup's heartbeat, even if they couldn't, and he was pleased it was nice and steady, and everything was okay. _Human Dany has nothing to worry about._

They ate cookies and drank whatever the drink was that Human Dany liked. It smelled like chocolate and he couldn't have that. He lifted his head when Jon climbed into the bed with them, careful of the pup. He returned his head, peering at them as they watched him. He did not know why. They usually did their gross kissing thing when they were in bed together and kicked him out, but this time his humans just pet his head and whispered that they loved him.

He supposed it had to do with a couple weeks ago, when Human Dany started crying and couldn't get off the floor. He went for Jon and they helped her and she left. When they came back from wherever they went, they got in the car and went to Winterfell and that was when he heard that she was on _bed rest._ He was just looking out for her, he'd heard the change in the baby, the heart going faster than it should have been and Dany was crying really bad. He did not like it when she cried.

"Without him I don't know if I could have gotten to you in time," he whispered.

She kept petting his head, nodding. "I know, he saved us."

"Christmas miracle," Jon said, teasing, but Ghost thought he was also serious. "We should name the baby after him."

"Ghost," she laughed. She ran her hand over her big stomach and he licked the side of it, causing a ripple of laughter over top it and then a nudge against his nose when he pressed against it again. "I think the baby likes him."

"He'll protect her."

"You so sure it's a girl, huh Jon Snow?"

"Hmm, yes. Tormund told me I'm destined to have nothing but girls. Said it's because I'm basically one myself."

"Well Tormund is an ass, but if we have a girl that looks as pretty as you, I'll be happy." She went serious. "And healthy. Just healthy."

"Of course."

They nuzzled together and he stole a cookie from the tray while they weren't looking, noting that it was a decent flavor, pretty bland sugar, but the green frosting was top-notch. He licked his lips, trying to get it off, but it stayed stuck. _Uh oh._

"Ghost," they laughed again, while Dany tried to wipe at his mouth and he moved his head back, gnawing at the air as she tried to get the frosting off. _I can do it myself!_ "Come here you silly wolf," she said, her arms going around his neck.

_Well if you insist._

They were all quiet again, until he started hearing the pretty sound of bells and tinkling music coming from somewhere inside the castle. He closed his eyes, content, glad to hear the three heartbeats of his humans. He kept his eyes closed even when they ruffled his head again, his human Jon speaking so quiet he had to turn his ear to hear better. "I know you had plans, but I'm just glad we're here."

"Me too. Merry Christmas Jon."

"Merry Christmas Dany."

He sighed, breath ruffling over his Dany's stomach and feeling another movement beneath his muzzle. _Merry Christmas humans._

~/~/~/~

**V.**

"No, no, no sweet Lyanna, we do not put the lights in our mouth!"

He wrinkled his nose, shaking his head as the baby pup tried to remove the strand of lights from the tree and shove them into her mouth. He nosed her away from the tree, when her fat pudgy hands tried to take down the _ornament._ Those things were sharp! He did not want to hear her cry. Hearing her cry hurt his stomach.

They were all around the tree, trying to stop the pup from getting into everything. And they all thought he was the one they had to worry about ripping into presents and knocking down the tree. He was as stressed out as they were, chasing after his pup every which way.

First, she started ripping into one of the presents in the bag human Jon brought inside from the car and got it open enough to tear out something black and lacy and apparently it was not supposed to be for everyone but Human Dany to see because he got very red and did his thing where he could hardly speak and Arya made fun of him and Dany just laughed and said she couldn't wait to try it on later.

Second, she was in the kitchen in Jon's arms and knocked the tray of cookies onto the floor. He was only trying to _help_ and get them up but that got him put outside. He didn't care, he got to run around and have a nice bit of a break, plus Arya had brought Sheira and he decided to try to engage in some puppy-making with her.

Third, when he got back into the house he had to stop his pup from touching the hot things that were on the table, he thought they were called _candles_ even though Human Dany did not seem to mind as much as the other humans. He did his best, nosing her away and to her toys, but the pup was not interested in them.

Fourth, just when he thought he might be able to go take a nap in the other room, the pup had gotten away from the big humans and was crawling away-- speeding more like she was very fast-- for the tree, which was where he was now, stopping her from chewing on the lights, although she already had silver tinsel in her dark hair.

"Oh Lyanna you silly girl," her mother cooed.

 _Silly!?_ He could not believe it. _Stressful. Terror. Horrible. Nightmarish._

Her tiny hand reached out and touched his nose, smelling of cookies and powder and the lovely smell of his little Lyanna. He sighed, eyes fluttering shut.

_Mine._

"Let's get a picture," Dany called, holding Lyanna. He liked the dress she wore, his little pup, with red velvet and lace, even if she had gotten food all over the one they had brought her in earlier. She waved her hand. "Jon come here, we'll get all of us."

And there weren't any cats, he thought happily, sitting proudly beside his Dany. They did not even dress him up this year. Well... _seven hells._ Arya was coming towards him with a big ribbon. "I think Ghost will look quite festive with this."

He bared his teeth. She didn't care and he ignored Sheira's yowl of laughter. "Even Sheira likes it," Gendry laughed.

 _Dumb Gendry, she hates it._ He sighed, allowing them to wrap the ribbon around as Jon came over, holding Lyanna's new stuffed wolf toy, which she instantly shoved into her mouth. She cooed, drool spilling out of her lips and onto her pretty dress. "Oh you silly girl," Dany just laughed.

"She's quite a troublemaker. Clearly takes after her mother," Jon said, kissing his human.

He kept an eye on Lyanna, while her parents kissed, because he knew that something would happen when they weren't looking. It always did. And he was the only one who seemed to realize it. He moved his head away slightly when Arya came over with her phone, as Sansa tried to order them into better placement beside the great tree in front of the hearth. He did not realize it until it was almost too late.

They were all looking ahead, while Lyanna wiggled in her mother's arms. Her tiny hands were reaching up, for the big star that shined atop the tree. _Oh no._

It happened quickly.

For a little one, she was quite strong and lurched into the tree for the star at the same time Dany blinked from the flash on the phone, turning in surprise at the sudden movement from Lyanna. Jon let go of Dany, yelping as Lyanna's foot kicked him in the eye, knocking him sideways and it was all up to him to save her as she went headfirst into the tree, laughing hysterically.

He surged up onto his hind legs, leaping forward, jaws clamping around the back of her little dress, which tore as he tugged her away from the tree, but it was too late, he was moving too fast and he went chest first against the tree, which fell hard onto the stone floor, Lyanna squealing in glee as she rolled onto the rug, his jaw now filled with torn velvet from her dress. He lay sideways, half in the tree and half out of it, blinking in surprise, the humans screaming around him.

He stared at Lyanna, who was sitting up, pulling on her toes, laughing, holding onto one of the ornaments she'd managed to grab, waving it in the air. He sighed.

It was the white direwolf ornament.

"Gho!" she shouted, waving it in the air, before giggling and shoving it into her mouth.

And Ghost just dropped his head, eyes closing in defeat. _Humans._

_**fin.** _

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading.


End file.
